RACA Journal June 2019 | Page 65

Responsible Refrigeration BARNEY RICHARDSON Barney Richardson is the director of South African Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Contractors Association (SARACCA) and sits on various other boards within the HVAC industry, including the South African Qualifications and Certifications Committee for Gas (SAQCC) Gas. YOU NEED A COC! By Barney Richardson Both registered and unregistered refrigeration gas practitioners continue to ask why they must issue a Certificate of Conformity (CoC) for HVAC&R installation and maintenance work. Here’s why. T www.hvacronline.co.za The training and skills necessary for installers who take on the responsibility of signing a CoC are to the benefit of the practitioner, the employer, and at the end of doing the work, the client. he Pressure Equipment Regulations in the regulation 17 (3) clearly state and specify the requirement: “An authorised person or an approved inspection authority shall issue a certificate of conformity after completion of a gas installation, modification, alteration or change of user or ownership in the form of Annexure 1.” The South African Qualification and Certification Committee for Gas (SAQCC Gas) and the South African Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Contractors Association (SARACCA), through its mandate from the Department of Labour, have available Certificate of Conformity (CoC) books which conform to the annexure 1 in the Government Gazette. The books cost R490 (inclusive of VAT), each with 50 certificates in the book. A CoC book can be purchased from the SARACCA office. In the Category ‘A’ part of the Authorised Refrigeration Gas Practitioners only two levels may sign a Certificate of Conformity for installation and or maintenance work. The first are the cardholders authorised to install and maintain domestic (R290 and R600a) and light commercial refrigeration units. These are the domestic refrigerators, small ice makers, self-contained bar fridges and beverage coolers using Hydrocarbon refrigerants and where specific training on the units has been completed and assessed as competent. The second type of practitioner is the one authorised to install and maintain room air-conditioning units up to 18kW cooling capacity (60 000btu/hr) and can sign a CoC for the work they take sole responsibility for. The other practitioner under Category A, namely the operator who is authorised to operate a refrigeration plant and is aware of safety regulations and requirements, may not sign a CoC. The registered practitioner who is authorised to install refrigeration piping, components and equipment under supervision also may not sign a CoC. This is the responsibility of the person who is supervising and who is registered as a Category B practitioner. An air-conditioning or refrigeration apprentice/ learner who is in training cannot sign a CoC while in training. Once they’ve passed the trade test and have upgraded their registration to Level 6 in Category B, they can then sign a CoC. It is important to remember that the training and skills necessary for installers who take on the responsibility of signing a Certificate of Conformity are to the benefit of the practitioner, the employer and at the end of doing the work, the client. There are specific Unit Standards in place to meet the Safe Handling of Refrigerants registration. In addition, it is recommended that the RACA Journal I June 2019 63